Franchise Executive Search &
Executive Recruiters
For more than 50 years, Wray Executive Search has helped leading franchisors, franchise organizations, and multi-unit operators recruit executives who drive growth, strengthen franchise relationships, and build enterprise value.
As one of the nation's most experienced franchise executive search firms, Wray provides access to proven CEOs, COOs, CFOs, Chief Development Officers, Chief Franchise Officers, CMOs, and other senior leaders across the franchise industry.
Unlike general franchise recruiting firms, our franchise executive recruiters understand the unique leadership dynamics of franchising, from franchise development and operations to finance, marketing, technology, succession, and system-wide growth.
Trusted by Leading Franchise Brands
for More Than 50 Years
Trust Earned Through Decades of Success
96%
Search Completion Rate
94%
Offer Acceptance Rate
50+
Years as Industry Specialists
Restaurant & Franchise Executive Search
92%
Placement Retention Rate
21 Days
Average to 1st Vetted Slate of Candidate
Proudly Serving Franchise Brands Across Industries
Leadership Expertise Built for Franchise Organizations
businesses. Our consultants understand the operating model and the leadership capabilities required at different stages of franchise growth. That experience allows us to look beyond titles and résumés to determine whether an executive's background aligns with the actual challenges facing the organization.
Franchise organizations face leadership challenges unlike those of traditional corporate businesses. Executives must lead across a system that includes corporate teams, franchise owners, field leadership, customers, investors, and other stakeholders whose priorities do not always align. Successful franchise executives understand how to influence without relying solely on direct authority, protect brand standards while supporting local operators, balance growth with franchisee economics, and build organizational infrastructure capable of supporting an increasingly complex system.
Wray Executive Search has spent more than five decades working within franchise and multi-unit
Franchise Executive Search Case Studies
Executive Search Case Study: SVP of Franchise Development for Leading National Restaurant Group
Executive Search Case Study: VP of Marketing for a Multi-brand West Coast Franchisor
Executive Search Case Study: CFO for High-Growth Multi-Unit Franchisee Organization
Executive Search Case Study: CEO of a High-Growth, National Full-Service Restaurant Group
Executive Search Case Study: CFO of a Publicly Traded, Global Restaurant Franchising Company
Executive Search Case Study: Brand President to Lead a Multi-Brand Snack Portfolio
Executive Leadership Across the Franchise Organization
Strong franchise systems require more than a capable CEO. As organizations scale, leadership across development, operations, finance, marketing, talent, technology, and other functions becomes increasingly important. Wray recruits senior executives who understand both their functional responsibilities and the broader dynamics of the franchise business model.
Our franchise executive search work includes:
Chief Human Resources Officer (CHRO)
Chief Growth Officer
Senior Vice President, Franchise Development
Vice President, Franchise Operations
Vice President, Operations
Vice President, Marketing
Brand President
Regional Vice President
Supply Chain Leadership
Technology Leadership
Our consultants evaluate candidates for leadership capability, business acumen, cultural alignment, relevant stage-of-growth experience, and their ability to succeed within the complexities of a franchise organization.
Recent Franchise Leadership Placements
Wray Executive Search partners with franchisors, franchisee organizations, multi-brand platforms, and private equity-backed operators to recruit leaders with experience navigating multi-unit growth, franchise relationships, development, and operational scale.
Recent and representative franchise leadership searches include:
Franchise Sales Director
Head of Franchise Development
Vice President, Franchise Development
Senior Vice President, Franchise Market Leader
Senior Vice President, Franchise Strategy & Compliance
Vice President, Franchise Sales
Vice President, International Franchise Development
CEO, CFO, COO, and other C-suite leadership positions
From functional executives to enterprise leadership, each search begins with the same question: What does this organization need its next leader to accomplish? The answer guides the search—not simply the title.
Franchise leadership looks different across every industry, but the need for experienced executive talent remains the same. Wray Executive Search partners with franchise organizations across a wide range of industries, helping brands recruit executives who understand the operational, financial, and strategic challenges unique to their sector.
We regularly conduct franchise executive searches for organizations in:
Restaurant & Food Service Franchises
Retail Franchises
Health & Wellness / Fitness
Beauty & Personal Care
Home Services
Commercial & Business Services
Automotive Services
Education & Child Enrichment
Senior Care & Healthcare
Hospitality & Lodging
Pet Services
Emerging Franchise Concepts
Multi-Brand Franchise Platforms
Private Equity-Backed Franchise Organizations
Whether your organization operates 20 locations or 2,000, we understand the leadership capabilities required to build high-performing franchise systems.
Franchise Industries We Serve
Our Franchise Executive Search Team
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Kevin Stockslager
Managing Partner
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Ray Kelley
Managing Partner
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Rebecca Patt
SVP & Partner
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Bob Gershberg
Executive Advisor
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Joe Radice
Advisor
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Jonathan Kelley
Vice President of Recruiting
The Wray Advantage
Wray Executive Search brings unmatched depth to franchise executive search.
6 Points of Distinction
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Our Leadership
Our leading consultants bring substantial senior-level experience and understand the decisions facing executives, boards, investors, and franchise organizations.
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Wide Scope
Our consultants bring experience across franchise sectors, functional disciplines, and stages of organizational growth, allowing us to evaluate leadership needs within the broader context of the business.
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Impactful Expertise
Our cross-functional expertise helps clients evaluate candidates not simply for functional knowledge, but for their ability to influence performance across an interconnected franchise system.
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Unique Guarantees
We offer a full one-year replacement guarantee ensuring that our candidates will bring value long term. If, for some reason, the hired candidate does not work out, we will find a replacement.
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Diverse Consultants
Our consultants bring varied experience from all segments of the industry. We offer broad-based, cross-functional expertise to enhance our partnership.
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Competitive, Comprehensive Rates
There are no surprises when it comes to our fees. We maintain highly competitive performance-based rates founded upon our robust executive search record.
Franchise Executive Recruiters With a Legacy of Results
Wray Executive Search is a nationally respected team of franchise executive recruiters, trusted by leading franchise brands to build leadership teams that drive growth, innovation, and operational excellence. With over five decades of experience, we are more than just franchise executive consultants—we are long-term partners invested in your success.
From emerging franchise concepts to well-established national and global brands, we provide strategic executive search solutions tailored to the unique demands of the franchise business model. Whether you’re hiring a CEO, COO, CMO, or regional leader, we understand the qualities that make leaders thrive in franchise systems.
Leadership for Every Stage of Franchise Growth
Franchise systems evolve rapidly, and leadership requirements change as organizations scale. Our franchise executive search practice supports franchisors at every stage of the lifecycle.
We partner with:
Emerging brands preparing to franchise or accelerate development
Growth-stage franchisors building enterprise leadership infrastructure
Mature systems navigating complexity, governance, and succession
Private equity–backed franchise platforms focused on scalability and exit readiness
Unlike firms focused solely on near-term hiring, Wray Executive Search helps franchise organizations identify leaders who can support today’s priorities while positioning the brand for sustained growth and stability.
This long-term perspective is what distinguishes true franchise executive consultants from transactional search providers.
Franchise Executive Search Firms vs. Franchise Recruiters: What's the Difference?
While the terms franchise executive search firm, franchise executive recruiter, and franchise recruiter are often used interchangeably, they represent very different approaches to executive hiring. Understanding those differences can help franchisors make more informed leadership decisions and build stronger executive teams.
At Wray Executive Search, we believe recruiting executive leaders for franchise organizations requires far more than simply identifying qualified candidates. It requires a deep understanding of franchising, leadership assessment, organizational strategy, and the unique dynamics that exist between franchisors, franchisees, and corporate leadership.
Franchise Executive Search Firms Take a Strategic Approach
A franchise executive search firm serves as a strategic advisor throughout the hiring process. Rather than focusing solely on filling an open position, franchise executive search firms partner with leadership teams, boards, and private equity investors to understand business objectives, franchise growth strategies, organizational culture, and the leadership capabilities required for long-term success.
A retained franchise executive search typically includes:
Defining the executive leadership profile
Understanding franchise system objectives and growth plans
Conducting national executive market research and talent mapping
Identifying and recruiting passive executive candidates
Evaluating leadership capabilities and cultural alignment
Benchmarking internal leaders against external executive talent
Managing confidential executive outreach
Supporting negotiations, onboarding, and long-term leadership success
This disciplined process helps franchise organizations hire executives who strengthen the business well beyond today's immediate hiring need.
The Best Franchise Candidates Are Often Passive Candidates
One of the greatest advantages of partnering with an experienced franchise executive search firm is access to passive executive talent.
Many of today's most accomplished franchise CEOs, COOs, CFOs, Chief Franchise Officers, Chief Development Officers, and franchise operations leaders are already succeeding within high-performing franchise organizations. They are rarely searching job boards or responding to recruiter outreach.
Instead, they become open to new opportunities through trusted industry relationships, confidential conversations, and compelling leadership opportunities presented by experienced franchise executive recruiters.
By engaging passive candidates, franchise executive search firms dramatically expand the available leadership pool, giving organizations access to executives who would never be reached through traditional recruiting methods.
Why Franchise Expertise Matters
Whether your organization is expanding nationally, preparing for private equity investment, entering new markets, strengthening franchise operations, or planning for executive succession, choosing the right executive search partner has a lasting impact on your organization's future.
Unlike general recruiting firms, Wray Executive Search combines more than 50 years of franchise and multi-unit leadership recruiting experience with a disciplined retained search methodology, comprehensive executive assessment, and one of the industry's deepest networks of franchise executives.
The result is a more strategic executive search process, stronger leadership decisions, and executive teams positioned to support franchise growth for years to come.
Franchise Leadership Requires More Than Industry Experience
Successful franchise executives do far more than manage operations.
They must inspire franchise owners, influence without direct authority, maintain brand consistency, support local market success, drive development, balance corporate objectives with franchisee relationships, and lead organizations through continuous growth and change.
An experienced franchise executive search firm evaluates candidates across multiple leadership dimensions, including:
Executive leadership capabilities
Franchise operations expertise
Multi-unit leadership experience
Franchise development strategy
Financial and business acumen
Executive communication
Change management
Organizational culture and values
Board and investor communication
Leadership scalability
Looking beyond a résumé allows franchise organizations to identify executives who can strengthen both corporate leadership and franchise system performance.
A Proven, Disciplined Approach to Franchise Search
Our approach to franchise executive search is intentionally rigorous, discreet, and relationship-driven.
Every engagement begins with a deep discovery process to understand your organization’s goals, leadership gaps, and cultural dynamics. We assess not only what the role requires today, but what it will demand as the business evolves.
From there, we leverage our national network and long-standing industry relationships to identify and engage executives who are not actively seeking new roles—but who consistently deliver results in complex franchise environments.
Throughout the search, clients benefit from clear communication, honest market insight, and guidance shaped by decades of franchise and multi-unit executive search experience. The outcome is leadership placements that create lasting value well beyond the initial hire.
Succession Planning & Leadership Readiness in Franchise Organizations
Leadership transitions can create particular challenges within franchise systems. A CEO, COO, Chief Development Officer, or other senior executive may hold relationships extending throughout the franchise network, so an unexpected departure can affect corporate leadership, franchisee confidence, development momentum, employees, investors, and other stakeholders.
Proactive executive succession planning gives organizations time to assess internal talent, understand external alternatives, identify potential leadership gaps, and prepare for transitions before they become urgent. Wray helps organizations benchmark internal leaders against the external executive market and evaluate whether the leadership pipeline is prepared for future needs.
Executive search does not have to begin with a vacancy. Used proactively, it can help organizations make better decisions about leadership readiness and continuity.
Build Your Franchise Leadership Team with Confidence
The strength of a franchise system depends on the leaders guiding it. With more than five decades of experience and a deep understanding of franchising, Wray Executive Search is a partner franchisors trust.
If you’re ready to work with franchise executive recruiters who understand the complexity of your business and the future you are building, we’re ready to help.
If you are looking to be considered for opportunities, go to our candidate page and submit your resume.
Frequently Asked Questions About Franchise Executive Search
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Franchise executive search is a specialized executive recruiting process focused on identifying, evaluating, and placing senior leaders within franchise organizations. Unlike traditional recruiting, franchise executive search targets highly qualified executives—many of whom are not actively seeking new opportunities—for leadership positions such as Chief Executive Officer (CEO), Chief Operating Officer (COO), Chief Financial Officer (CFO), Chief Franchise Officer, Chief Development Officer, Chief Marketing Officer (CMO), and other executive roles that influence franchise growth and system performance.
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A franchise executive recruiter helps franchisors identify and recruit executive leaders who understand the unique challenges of operating franchise systems. Beyond sourcing candidates, experienced franchise executive recruiters assess leadership capabilities, franchise operations experience, cultural fit, strategic thinking, and the ability to support both corporate objectives and franchisee success.
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Traditional executive recruiting often focuses on filling open leadership positions with active job seekers. Franchise executive search is a strategic, retained process that proactively identifies exceptional executives—including passive candidates—and evaluates their ability to lead complex franchise organizations. Franchise executive search firms also provide leadership assessment, succession planning support, executive benchmarking, and market intelligence throughout the hiring process.
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A franchise executive search firm serves as a strategic advisor throughout the executive hiring process. While franchise recruiters often focus on filling open positions, franchise executive search firms conduct comprehensive leadership assessments, benchmark internal and external candidates, engage passive executives, and help organizations identify leaders capable of supporting long-term franchise growth.
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Franchise systems require leaders who understand franchisor-franchisee relationships, multi-unit operations, franchise development, compliance, operational consistency, and brand growth. Specialized franchise executive search firms understand these unique dynamics and maintain deep networks of experienced franchise executives, allowing organizations to access talent beyond the reach of traditional recruiting methods.
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Leading a franchise organization requires more than operational expertise. Franchise executives must balance corporate priorities with franchisee success, influence without direct authority, maintain brand standards across hundreds of independently owned businesses, and build trust among franchise owners, investors, field leadership, and corporate teams. These unique leadership demands make franchise executive search significantly different from executive recruiting in company-owned businesses.
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Franchise executive recruiters commonly recruit leaders for positions including:
Chief Executive Officer (CEO)
Chief Operating Officer (COO)
Chief Financial Officer (CFO)
Chief Franchise Officer
Chief Development Officer
Chief Marketing Officer (CMO)
Chief Human Resources Officer (CHRO)
Chief Growth Officer
Vice President of Franchise Development
Vice President of Franchise Operations
Brand President
Regional Vice President
Operations Leadership
Supply Chain Leadership
Technology Leadership
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Franchise executive search firms recruit leaders across a wide variety of franchise industries, including restaurant, retail, fitness, beauty, healthcare, senior care, education, automotive, hospitality, business services, home services, pet services, and other multi-unit franchise organizations.
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For more than 50 years, Wray Executive Search has partnered with franchisors, franchise organizations, and multi-unit operators to recruit executive leaders who drive sustainable growth. Our retained executive search process combines deep franchise expertise, comprehensive leadership assessment, national executive relationships, and a proven methodology designed to identify executives who strengthen franchise systems for the long term.
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Organizations that benefit most from franchise executive search include:
Emerging franchise concepts
High-growth franchisors
Multi-brand franchise organizations
Large franchisee groups
Private equity-backed franchise platforms
International franchise systems
Mature franchise brands planning executive succession
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Leading franchise executive search firms combine proprietary research, industry relationships, confidential outreach, executive referrals, and market intelligence to identify candidates. Rather than relying on job boards, executive search firms proactively recruit passive executives who have demonstrated success leading franchise organizations.
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Passive executive candidates are highly accomplished leaders who are currently employed and not actively searching for new opportunities. Many of the franchise industry's strongest executives fall into this category. Franchise executive search firms specialize in identifying and engaging these leaders through confidential conversations and trusted relationships.
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The timeline varies depending on the complexity of the position, organizational requirements, and market conditions. Most executive searches require several months to ensure organizations have access to the strongest leadership candidates rather than simply filling the position as quickly as possible.
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Most franchise executive search firms operate on a retained fee structure based on the executive position being recruited. While investment levels vary, organizations should view executive search as a long-term investment in leadership quality, organizational stability, and future growth rather than simply a recruiting expense.
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Yes. Many private equity firms engage franchise executive search firms to recruit executives capable of accelerating growth, improving operational performance, integrating acquisitions, preparing portfolio companies for exit, and building scalable leadership teams. Executive leadership often plays a significant role in maximizing enterprise value.
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Absolutely. Executive search firms support franchise succession planning by identifying future leadership needs, benchmarking internal talent against external candidates, assessing executive readiness, and helping organizations develop leadership pipelines before executive transitions occur.
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The strongest franchise organizations evaluate both options. Internal leaders often bring valuable institutional knowledge and established franchise relationships, while external executives may contribute specialized expertise, fresh perspectives, and experience leading similar franchise systems. Benchmarking internal candidates against external talent helps organizations make more informed executive hiring decisions.
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Successful franchise executives combine strategic leadership with operational excellence. They understand franchise economics, franchise development, multi-unit operations, executive leadership, franchisee engagement, organizational culture, financial performance, and long-term brand growth while effectively balancing the needs of both franchisors and franchise owners.
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When evaluating franchise executive search firms, organizations should consider:
Franchise industry specialization
Experience recruiting franchise executives
Executive leadership assessment capabilities
Access to passive executive candidates
Search completion and retention rates
Multi-unit leadership expertise
National executive network
Experience supporting private equity-backed franchise organizations
